


I Love You

by hitokiridarkempress



Series: Yandere!Stephen [5]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Dark!Stephen, Hopeful Ending, Insecure Stephen Strange, M/M, Mental Instability, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Pining, Stephen Strange Needs a Hug, Stephen is only soft towards Tony, Stockholm Syndrome, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Yandere, Yandere!Stephen, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-31
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-30 21:17:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19035760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitokiridarkempress/pseuds/hitokiridarkempress
Summary: Stephen just wants to hear 3 simple words...





	I Love You

**Author's Note:**

> I am leaving my old crappy job and to celebrate I wrote this. Really on a Yandere!Stephen kick here. Poor Tony

“I love you.”

It was just three simple words.  Stephen wishes he could hear them just once. If only to shut up that small nagging voice that keeps telling him it’s wrong to keep Tony as his prisoner. Tony isn’t a prisoner at all. Tony is his husband; he’s merely doing what a good husband does. Protect his loved ones at all cost.

_Haven’t you hurt him enough? You ruined his life. He’s afraid of you._

**_Shut up!_ **

_He loved his ex. He loved his friends. He doesn’t love you. When have you ever hear him say “I love you?”_

**_Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! He loves me! I know he loves me!_ **

**_He loves me…_ **

Stephen Strange would always say, “I love you” to his husband every day and every night before they retire to bed. And every time, without fail Tony would turn his head away from him. It stings a little, but he knows Tony loves him. Tony is just being difficult. He did what he has to do in order to keep his beloved safe. Tony will understand. He just needs time.  Stephen can wait. For Tony, he can wait as long as he needed, because he loves Tony.

And Tony loves him.

He just…can’t say the words right now.

* * *

 

Tony is starting to hate the words, “I love you.” As a child, he wanted nothing more than to hear them from his father. As an adult, he wished he could hear one from someone who truly meant it. Not from a meaningless one-night stand, not painted lies when they only want something in return, and not one from regret of what could have been. But hearing Stephen say it and meaning it…well he’s starting to regret what he wished for.

Tony knows what Stephen wants. He’s not sure whether he wants to indulge him. This bittersweet crafted lie, to vindicate his madness. Stephen loves him fiercely and softly. There were…moments of weakness where he almost said the words Stephen desperately wanted to hear. But then he remembers the softness of Pepper, the reliable strength of Rhodey, the fierceness in Happy. And the weakness is replaced with resentment.

Stephen’s love isn’t like Pepper’s, soft and enduring. Nor is it like Rhodey’s, loyal and strong. It isn’t even like Happy’s, steadfast and true. Stephen’s is an icy maelstrom, a fierce relentless love that burns coldly in his veins that only when the storm passes can he breathe again. This isn’t love, it’s an obsession. An obsession with a phantom memory, one he could not make a reality.

But god, does Stephen try.

To be woken up with kisses, countless praises that make him flush, hands slowly expressing careful devotion to his body. Never judging and would listen with an attentive ear. At those times, Tony can’t help but rethink of how his family’s love is lacking compared to Stephen’s.  Stephen may have stolen him, but Stephen is utterly his. Tony is adrift with his emotions with his captor, his husband…and perhaps his love. All his life, he wanted love and devotion. And Stephen is giving it away freely.

Is it so wrong to deny that?

* * *

 

“Good night Tony. I love you.”

Stephen says the words, hating that feeling of _wrongness_ when Tony doesn’t respond. Stupid voice, stupid Stephen, **_stupid, stupid, stupid_**.

A soft kiss on the mouth silences the downward spiral in his head.

Tony never did that before. He wanted to ask but Tony is now sleeping peacefully in his arms rather than facing away from him. That stupid little voice is wrong. Tony loves him. He prefers to show his love rather than say it. With that, Stephen sleeps with a smile on his face.

**_He loves me._ **

* * *

 

Tony doesn’t know why he kissed him. Maybe because he’s tired of seeing the look of devastation on Stephen’s face. It’s not an admission by any means. Maybe he does love him, fucked up as it is. It’s not a lie, but it’s not the truth either. He doesn’t know how to feel about Stephen. Just maybe, he could learn to love him and say the words.

 

 

 

One day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated or come yell at me on Tumblr MetalandFood is the handle


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